It’s Pam’s nightmare but Angela’s dream come true– Roy comes locked and loaded for Jim, but thanks to Dwight, the fastest draw in the office, the only thing fired is Roy. Darryl in turn tries to climb the ladder only to bump into Michael on the next rung. However, some fancy coaching and a road trip with Toby soon has Mike wearing the (lady) pants in the relationship, though only long enough to get a long overdue raise out of Jan.

The Michael Scott School of Hard Knocks

The A.V. Club recently did an interview with Mindy Kaling, in which she talked a little about the writing process behind Michael Scott and how it becomes a group effort to strike just the right note without pushing him over the edge of stupidity. Considering it is Michael Scott, that’s one heck of a precipitous cliff and yet, as a testament to their collective genius, he’s still on this side of the drop.

Michael : Darryl. You are a good worker, and a good man. I just– you know, times are tight. And I just don’t think corporate is going to go for this right now.Darryl : Are you wearin’ lady clothes?Michael : What?Darryl : Are you wearin’ lady clothes? Those look like lady pants.Michael : No, this is a power suit.Darryl : That there’s a woman’s suit.Michael : I do not buy woman’s clothes. I would not make that mistake again.Darryl : [laughing] I’ma call Roy, man.Michael : Ohh… kay.Darryl : This is gonna make him feel better.Michael : All right.Darryl : This is too good.Michael : Alright, you know what? Pam, could you please tell Darryl that this is not a woman’s suit?Pam : Oh my God, that’s a woman’s suit!Kevin : You’re wearing a woman’s suit?Michael : No, I do– I– I wear men’s suits, ok?

Imagine the group sessions that must have gone into this episode alone.

Kevin : Who makes it?[Michael pulls back the lapel to reveal a hot pink lining]Michael : Um, MISSterious. And it is mysterious, because the buttons are on the wrong side. That’s the mystery.

Actually, this scene alone…

Dwight Being Dwight

Turns out the only posse you need in the face of an enraged ex-fiance is the ever-indomitable defender of the office, Dwight K. Schrute. And his mysterious stash of weaponry.

Jim : I guess, all things considered, I was lucky Dwight was there. And Roy was lucky that Dwight only used pepper spray. And not the nunchucks or the throwing stars.

Or the beat stick or the taser or the… boomerang?

Dwight : No, don’t call me a hero. Do you know who the real heroes are? The guys who wake up every morning and go into their normal jobs, and get a distress call from the commissioner, and take off their glasses and change into capes, and fly around fighting crime. Those are the real heroes.

We’ve been over this before, but I think he’s still thinking of a superhero.

The Many Faces of Jim

Forget Jim and Pam, or even Jim and Karen; the brunt of relationship development this season goes right to Jim and Dwight. Once seemingly bound only as prankster and foil, these two keep scratching the surface of their complex connection, and while I doubt there’s a deep friendship buried and waiting to bloom, there is a little more respect than they would have you know.

Jim : Okay, you don’t want a gift, at least let me buy you a beer, or lunch, or something.Dwight : When Han Solo returns to the Death Star in the Millennium Falcon, and shoots down the TIE fighters and saves the rebel cause, do you think he does so for a free beer?Jim : Boy, I–Dwight : No. And why are you so interested in buying me something, Jim? What’s your angle?

The only time Dwight doesn’t reach a new low in his otherwise endless gullibility is the only time Jim genuinely has no angle.

Jim : It’s like when he annoys me, and I want to screw with him to get him back, he never sees it coming. But now, I want to be nice to him, and actually give him something, and he’s like an eel. I just can’t grab onto him. It’s infuriating.Karen : Maybe you just feel guilty about all the pranks.Jim : Well… yes, that’s probably what it is. So what do I do?Karen : Hmm, I don’t know. Maybe you should go back out there and sell paper so we can go on a trip.

Turns out, that dilemma is easily solved when Jim inadvertently spies Dwight and Angela liplocked in the empty office. And speaking of “the many faces of Jim,” try the stunned half-second freeze frame after his hasty retreat into the bathroom.

Jim : I… will never say a word. And now, we are even.

All kinds of puzzle pieces are falling into place. I wonder what could come of the fact that Jim knows, and Pam knows, and Angela knows Pam knows, and Dwight has no idea Jim knows, and everyone else in the office must be blind to not know.

Confessions of a Receptionist

Pam’s life has been quite heavy on the drama lately, so a little comic relief goes a long way.

Pam : Michael, the pants don’t have any pockets.Michael : No, they don’t, see?[Michael sticks out his backside and shows it to Pam, who laughs and claps a hand over her mouth]Michael : Italians don’t wear pockets.[Cut to interview]Pam : It’s been a really rough couple of days. This helps a little.

Your boss in a woman’s suit with hot pink lining and an alluring lack of pockets? That’s got to help a lot.

The Jim/Pam Index

Six weeks of percolating will they/won’t they tension– will Roy really kill Jim Halpert? won’t Pam fling herself at his mercy to save Jim’s neck? — answered with six seconds of fist-flying, intercepted resolution. The crisis is averted, but the aftermath demands at last some interaction between the nearly-estranged friends.

Pam : It’s just so stupid. I mean, getting back with Roy and everything. I mean, what was I thinking, right?Jim : No, I mean, you guys really seem to have a strong connection.Pam : Not anymore. It’s, um… it’s completely over now.Jim : [laughs dryly] We’ll see. I’m sure you guys’ll find your way back to one another someday.Pam : Jim… I am really sorry…Jim : Oh yeah, don’t worry about it.

Roy has been the targeted obstacle for years now (if this needs to be a personal confession, okay!), but now with him for all intents and purposes out of the picture, it’s suddenly obvious there were ever only two obstacles to begin with– Jim and Pam themselves.

Once upon a time, even just weeks ago, Roy’s outburst would have had a drastic impact on the situation, but now hardly bears acknowledgment in passing. Pam getting back together with him, even so briefly, even if necessary to wake her up once and for all, looks to have snapped Jim’s last straw and made him all the more determined to wash his hands of the drama. For now. I’m not saying for good. But where it goes from here will be entirely, completely and utterly up to Pam.

Roy : So, you gonna start dating Halpert, then?Pam : Um… no. No, he has a girlfriend.Roy : Oh yeah. Wait a minute, you broke off our wedding for the guy…Pam : No, there were a lot of reasons.Roy : But you’re not even going to try to go out with him? I don’t get you, Pam.Pam : I know.

If I were taking bets and making predictions, I’d say Pam is getting ready to snap her last straw too, but only to take matters into her own newly freed hands and send this Index soaring skyward before the season ends. But for now, The Negotiation wavers back and forth and stays at Even.

Supporting Nod

Angela all hot n’ bothered over Dwight’s tales of bravery earns her about three nods and a shudder and two thumbs up.

The Superstar

Citizens do not accept prizes for being citizens, but I’m giving it to Dwight anyway, who came out of nowhere with that pepper spray, saved the day and got the girl.

Transmissions from the Office

Jan : Are you going to take care of this?Michael : Yeppers.Jan : What did I tell you about “yeppers”?Michael : I don’t remember.Jan : I told you not to say it. Do you remember that?Michael : Ye–sh.

It’s weird. Jan used to treat Michael like he was a five year old, but lately it’s like he’s three.

Michael : Wikipedia is the best thing ever. Anyone in the world can write anything they want about any subject. So you know you are getting the best possible information.

I think I made the comment a while back that Michael should consult Wikipedia a whole lot more. Is it too late to rescind that? Because he absolutely shouldn’t.

Kelly : That is the bravest thing I have ever heard.Ryan : I can’t imagine what I would’ve done.Kelly : I can. You would have left me to fend for myself. Like the time we were on the ferris wheel and that kid dropped a milkshake on me and you just laughed.Ryan : Well, that was funny, that’s why.Kelly : Oh it was? Okay, well the next time that you get scared that you think a murderer is in your apartment in the middle of the night…Ryan : Okay…Kelly : …and you call me to calm down…Ryan : …you know what, I didn’t…Toby : Can you stop?Kelly : You can just call somebody else because I’m not doing it anymore, Ryan, I’m not.Ryan : Well, don’t talk to me about calling people in the middle of the night for no good reason.Toby : There’s a bunch of people back here maybe…Kelly : I call you in the middle of the night to tell you that I love you.Toby : Guys…[Cut to interview with Ryan and Kelly making out in the background]Toby : I don’t think Michael intended to punish me by putting Ryan back here with Kelly. But, if he did intend that… wow. Genius.

Entertaining the possibility of crediting Michael with that kind of genius attests to the enormous psychological strain of being in the presence of Ryan and Kelly for more than 15 consecutive seconds.

Creed : I remember it was very late at night, like 11, 11:30. Big fella comes in screaming about God knows what. I think maybe Halpert had stolen his car, something like that. So the big fella pulls out a sock filled with nickels. Then Schrute grabs a can of hairspray and a lighter–Angela : You’re useless.

Actually, that’s a pretty accurate account for someone who doesn’t even know which one is Pam.

Kelly : You are so mean.Ryan : I don’t know what you’re talking about.Kelly : Yes, you do, Ryan Bailey Howard. You called me stupid.Ryan : No, I said your idea was stupid.Michael : Toby, c’mon, let’s go.Toby : Where?Michael : Where? I’m gonna smack you in the head with a hammer. C’mon, let’s go.Kelly : What is so stupid about wanting to name a baby Usher?Toby : All right.Kelly : Usher Jennifer Hudson Kapoor.Ryan : Don’t you see why that’s insane?Kelly : Oh, so I’m crazy now?

This one was coming as soon as Michael agreed to take Darryl’s vehicular transport.

Darryl : Okay, bring it home now. And don’t forget the new black man phrase I taught you.Michael : Pippity poppity, give me the zoppity.Darryl : Yes sir, remember that. I’ll be right outside if you need me.Michael : All right.[Cut to interview]Darryl : Yeah, I taught Mike some new phrases. I want him to get the raise. I… just can’t help myself.

Michael : So who’s the boy toy?Jan : That’s my new assistant.Michael : Were you going to tell me that you hired James Van Der Beek?Jan : I have to call you the second I get a new assistant now?Michael : It’d be nice to get a memo. We are lovers.Toby : [uncomfortable pause] Hi Jan.

Toby’s whole professional existence is lose-lose. Getting smacked in the head with a hammer is bound to sound pretty good right about now.

Michael : We’re gonna play it like this? You give me a good raise, or no more sex. [Turns to Toby] What are you writing, perv-ball?Toby : Just preparing for the deposition.[Cut to interview]Toby : This may be the first time that a male subordinate has attempted to get a modest, scheduled raise by threatening to withhold sex from a fe male superior. It will be a groundbreaking case when it inevitably goes to trial.

But if there are perks to Toby’s job, moments like this have got to be big.

Jan : What’s wrong with you?Michael : Ohh. It was a weird day. I accidentally cross-dressed. And then Darryl made me feel bad for not making any money. And then I had to ride up here with stupid Toby. And then your assistant was all young and hot, and I…

Take two of the most complex, bewildering, layered, multi-diminsional characters on television and put them in a relationship, and amidst all the hilarious dysfunction you’re also guaranteed those small, quiet moments with clear reasons of why they’re together.

Michael : Negotiation is an art. Back and forth, give and take. And today, both Darryl and I took something. Higher salaries. Win-win-win. But, you know, life is about more than just salary. It’s about… perks. Like having sex with Jan.Jan : Michael!

Make that very, very small moments with kind of cloudy reasons.

Andy : I graduated from anger management the same way I graduated from Cornell– on time. Now I’m back, got a second chance, and I’m not going to blow it. So look out, Dunder Mifflin! …I mean “look out” in a fun way. You know, not like, “I’m going to hurt you.”

“Look out, Andy!” is more like it.

Dwight : I am not a hero. I am a mere defender of the office. You know who’s a real hero? Hiro, from Heroes. That’s a hero. Also Bono.

I thought we all had a hero in our hearts?

Odds and Ends

Good thing the road trip to New York didn’t call for a rest stop– today might have not been the best day for Michael to get caught in the ladies restroom.

Watch for Oscar to step protectively in front of Angela when Roy comes to collect his check. Aww.

Dwight hosing down Andy in the final act is like a cliffhanger of its own.

And speaking of final acts, how about the perfect denouement to Roy’s charged threat that even had his dignity intact in the end? Amazing.

The Story in Pictures

37 comments have been recorded under this entry.

Comments have been closed for this entry.

THANK GOD it's finally back!! However, the promos are making the drama between Roy and Jim a little too serious than typical Office. I wait with baited breath for Jamie's recap....

1Posted by Must be jelly 'cause Jam don't shake like that... on April 5, 2007

Very, very excited for the new ep. Also, it's "bated" rather than "baited" (stupid pet peeve).

See also The Merchant of Venice:
“Shall I bend low and, in a bondman’s key, / With bated breath and whisp’ring humbleness, / Say this ...”

2Posted by Salamandre on April 5, 2007

I'm glad it's finally back but am worried what will transpire. Will Roy kill Jim like he said? Also i believe Darryl figures prominently and he is by far my least favorite character on the show.But hopefully he won't be as annoying to me as he has in the past.

3Posted by hauseriv on April 5, 2007

I had the opposite reaction - I love Darryl and think we've seen far too little of him this season. Dinkin Flicka!

4Posted by Lori on April 5, 2007

"Will Roy kill Jim like he said? "

I really dont see how that could happen since Krasinski is one of the popular stars. I do however think Jim is going to take a mild beating before he and Roy get pulled apart.

Somebody I know thought there might be something in Roy's left hand in the teaser, like a box cutter or a knife. Jimbo may be headed to the hospital, but I doubt for anything too serious.

5Posted by Pat D. on April 5, 2007

Oh well, so much for my theory. LOL.

6Posted by Pat D. on April 5, 2007

Creed once again for supporting nod:

"I think Halpert, like, stole his car or something"

;-)

7Posted by Pat D. on April 5, 2007

Just got finished watching it.

This show's back with a vengeance! Awesome episode!

(Did anyone hang around for the ending? Good ol' Andie Bernard...he's back!)

8Posted by Philip on April 5, 2007

YES! NOBODY saw the pepper spray thing coming! Not a flinch of an idea of it. GREAT writin'. Great!

9Posted by Monday Morning. on April 5, 2007

Great episode can't wait to see what Pam does next1

10Posted by Ellie on April 5, 2007

woo hoo!! we're back in business. a great episode written by michael schur. the pam/jim stuff was so real. "you'll find your way back to each other," says jim. well done!! a knife in the heart to all the jammers out there. i'm one of them. ouch.

11Posted by tricia on April 5, 2007

woo hoo!! we're back in business. a great episode written by michael schur.

12Posted by tricia on April 5, 2007

The ending made me so happy. Jim is just too cute. I wasn't before but I'm falling in love with Jim just because he was nice to Dwight.

This was by far my favorite episode of the season. It progressed the storyline and it got me liking Jim again. Now I just hope I start liking Pam again. She's getting too boring and bland. They need to make her pounce on Jim, wrap her leg around him as he rips her blouse...okay now I'm just dreaming.

19Posted by PoDD TaCKER on April 6, 2007

First post...Good story development last night...I agree Pam is pretty boring lately...she needs a new love interest to get Jim jealous...time to bring in a new(short Term) character like a UPS delivery guy that trys to pick her up!!! We could also use a battle royal between Pam and Karen over Jim....Also I'd like to see more character development from others especially Kevin, and Kane...Sometimes I get a little tired of so Much Michael and Dwight..I'm sure Andy Bernard will bring a lot of great stuff with him...especially now that he is trying so hard to be positive..Ever since he came to Scranton I have been personality Mirroring, and repeating peoples names when I meet them!! I love it when they go out of the office and into the real world!!!I think its time for Stanley to have a few problems worth talking about...any ideas for cool new story lines out there??

20Posted by Raiderbuster on April 6, 2007

two small things i noticed and found funny.
1. in the beginning, while jim and karen are talking but before roy attacks, you can briefly see creed playing solitaire (maybe that's what he does all day).
2. only darryl calls michael "mike." when michael is testing out his wikipedia negotiation tactics, jim, who is pretending to be darryl, uses mike instead of michael. accident...or good attention to detail by the writers/actors?

Also I totally knew what Dwight was gonna do because on Yahoo videos they had three preview clips and one was of Dwight pepper spraying Roy...then they took it off and only had two clips.

Hmm so now both Jim and Pam know about Dwangela.

22Posted by Wedding Belle on April 6, 2007

Hi, I'm from Hungary. I'm a huge fan.
My favorite part:
You give me a good raise or no more sex.
(to Toby) What are you writing pervball?

23Posted by seltorin on April 6, 2007

Well, this episode was pretty awesome. I must say, I started out being a Jam fan. I would wait for every moment between those two - their expressions & antics. Those two really work together. Then things got a little dragged out. Pam is getting a little boring (she needs to fight for Jim) and I hate seeing Jim go to Karen for advice rather than Pam. Anyway, I started focusing my attention elsewhere. On Dwangela. God, sometimes I wish I hadn't. Most episodes I sit there and wait for some awkward moment between those two; they are kind of cute. They just work.

24Posted by Lianna on April 8, 2007

Finally watched the ep on iTunes last night. Roy actually calling Pam out at the coffee shop, "You're not even going to try to date him?" Did anyone else catch that? Even Roy is becoming a Jam fan now. Ok, not quite. But now that he knows the whole story, he basically tells her she'd be crazy not to go after Jim, seeing all that they've been through. Its at times like these when I see a light at the end of the tunnel for Jim and Pam, but I don't want it to end. The most boring thing I can think of is Jim and Pam actually in a relationship.

I'm gonna have to say down for the JPI...with Pam being completely unable to make a move herself, Jim starting to have a good repartee with Karen, and Jim pretty much brushing off Pam in this episode, nothing really looks good. Only positive would be Roy out of the picture, except I hope he isnt gone from the series totally.

26Posted by Pat D. on April 10, 2007

Because Pam doesn't trust her own feelings, and doesn't go after what she really wants, Jim and Roy don't believe her when she tells them how she feels. She tells Roy that she isn't going out with Jim, and he doesn't believe her. She tells Jim that things are definitely over with Roy, and he doesn't believe her either. Poor Pammy is having to lie in the bed she made for herself because of her reluctance to express her true feelings. Why would Jim want to get in the middle of the Pam-Roy situation, especially now that he knows what Roy is capable of? About Angela, wow!! Why do I think she and Dwight will be having sex on top of Toby's witness statement folder? Man do I feel bad for Mike! The guy just can't win. He has to buy discounted suits from a bin because of his pitiful salary and he ends up buying a woman's suit! "It fit me, so it couldn't be a woman's suit!" Well, at least he got a 12% raise (presumably) and he does get to sleep with Jan, which is a pretty nice perk in my book!

27Posted by dunderhead on April 10, 2007

After Angela hears Creed's account of the attack, he turns around and starts doing a crossword puzzle. How much do you wanna bet he stole the crossword book from Stanley?

28Posted by sock filled with nickels on April 10, 2007

Wow. I never thought I would ever see Roy pushing Pam to go for Jim. The writing is genius and this season keeps getting better and better!

29Posted by Jake on April 10, 2007

Was anyone else irritated by Karen's response to Jim?
"Maybe you should go back out there and sell paper so we can go on a trip."
What the heck?

I'm a HUGE Karen fan but yeah, I was a little annoyed by her comment to Jim about the trip...I was like, lighten up but it's o.k. she's fun most of the time--like at the wedding, and at the start of the episode and other times. But I think Pam is soooooo lame. She knows how to pull pranks but talk about boring and somewhat silly...she is. I believe the writers will have to do alot of tweaking to her personality to make this thing with Jim work out. Which I am not voting for!!!

33Posted by Monday Morning. on April 12, 2007

I agree with Emily that Karen's response to Jim "Maybe you should go back out there and sell paper so we can go on a trip.", struck a wrong chord. It displays with neon lights, the obvious huge differences between Karen and Pam and their interaction with Jim, and being on the "same page" with him. To sum it up, I believe Pam and Jim are on the same page, and Karen is in a different chapter....of Michael's screenplay;)

34Posted by Count Halpert on April 12, 2007

Well, I dunno about Jim and Karen together, Jim does a lot of eye rolling in response to most everything Karen does. Even the one good time they had together (the part where he asks for advice) ended badly. Either it was a bad day or that relationship doesn't seem to be blooming as much as it may seem.

35Posted by ken on April 12, 2007

I think if Jim and Pam ever do get together, the anonymous guys operating the cameras might have something to do with it. They clearly have a handle on the situation, since they ask both characters leading questions in the interviews, getting them to talk about their feelings for each other (think about them asking Jim at Phyllis' wedding what he'd do if, hypothetically, he knew Pam were interested in him...), and capturing lots of little interactions and facial expressions. I think it would be a great twist somewhere along the line if the camera guys started to play a slightly more active role influencing the plotlines. We know they're there (fictionally, you know). Or maybe Pam could totally get over Jim and start having a thing for a camera guy. There are a lot of possibilities there.

36Posted by Yeppers on April 12, 2007

Oh, wow, that would be hilarious if Pam started having a thing for the camera guy. I can't begin to imagine how it would play out, but it sounds so funny.